Home Sweet Home thank public for showing true Christmas spirit

Residents in the homeless shelter will today receive a Christmas dinner provided by some of Dublin’s top chefs who have kindly volunteered their skills to cook for 70 people, including volunteers and residents.

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The Home Sweet Home campaign has issued a heartfelt thank you to the public for showing true Christmas spirit over the last 10 days, since the first homeless residents moved into Apollo House.

The story that unfolded on Tara Street has attracted support from across the globe and organisers have admitted the campaign has been overwhelmed by the level of public support, including donations, volunteers and messages from all around the world.

Residents in the homeless shelter will today tuck into a Christmas dinner provided by some of Dublin’s top chefs who have kindly volunteered their skills to cook for 70 people, including volunteers and residents.

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Home Sweet Home, a campaign of activists, artists and trade unionists, say today’s Christmas dinner for homeless people is another expression of "profound decency" by the Irish people.

Glen Hansard and a number of other artists will also provide entertainment for the residents of Apollo House later today.

Rosi Leonard, activist with the Irish Housing Network said: “We’ve had unbelievable support from all across the country over the last week or so, and we’ve also had massive international support.

“We had a very simple objective at the start of this project. We did not want anybody sleeping rough on the streets of Dublin this Christmas. Through the massive support of the Irish public, hopefully we may actually achieve our objective this year.”

Home Sweet Home believes the last 10 days of the campaign has revealed the true Christmas spirit of the Irish public.

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Brendan Ogle from Unite the Union said: “More than 2,500 people have volunteered their services to Home Sweet Home, including mental health professionals, construction and maintenance workers, medical personnel and legal professionals.

“Over €150,000 has been raised online and thousands of food parcels, bags of clothes, sleeping bags and much more have been donated to the campaign. And of course, Mattress Mick has even provided dozens of beds for homeless people to sleep on.

“The generosity of so many people has certainly lifted the nation this Christmas."

One resident in Apollo House added: “We are so grateful to everyone for their generosity this year. Some people have given their time, others donations. But it all makes us feel like we have a home this Christmas, and for many of us, it’s the first time in years.

“Most of us are used to sleeping in the cold and rain, but this Christmas we get to share our day with the volunteers and other residents of Apollo House. If this hadn’t happened, we really don’t know where we’d be spending the next 24 hours.”

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The Irish Housing Network, who are involved in the day-to-day running of Apollo House, say that residents and volunteers will be sitting together for a meal this afternoon.

Ms Leonard said: “This would not be possible without the amazing support of people across the country. Thanks to you, everyone in Apollo House will be well-fed and most importantly, warm, safe and in good company over Christmas."

Apollo House is a former office block, which has been empty for several years and is now controlled by NAMA. It was opened by a group of housing activists, artists and trade unionists 10 days ago and is currently housing 40 people who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets.

Mitzalo, a homeless resident in Apollo House said: "This is more than a hostel, it is a home."

Home Sweet Home campaign also insisted this government could end homelessness if the political will existed to do so.

Tommy Gavin from the Irish Housing Network said: "The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) currently owns thousands of properties, which could go some way towards tackling homelessness should the Minister for Finance invoke the NAMA Act and instruct the agency to put idle properties to use.

"The question is, is there a political will to genuinely address this crisis?"

There are 6,500 people ‘officially homeless’ in Ireland this Christmas, including 2,400 children in emergency accommodation. The Home Sweet Home campaign will continue until all homelessness is eradicated.